A Bread And Butter Errand
by Quiet Waters
Summary: Just when Lola is ready for a terrific afternoon all for herself and by herself binging her favorite show; her father asks her to do one little job for him. Nothing or no one better get in the way of her...


**A Bread And Butter Errand**

**Since a few weeks I've decided to dedicate my free Sundays to writing one-shot stories as a way to practice and to get back/keep myself in a flow. It also provided a nice opportunity to develop a new, better writing style for myself and make work of the smaller ideas that I have!**

**I'm actually pretty proud of what I'm about to present you! Lola is a fun character to write!**

* * *

Today was going to be _perfect_; Lola knew that for sure. All of her siblings would be out of the house and Lola didn't care whether they went to the mall or a concert or the mudhole; what mattered was that they were away until the evening so that she could have the TV all for herself on just the right day.

Prison Pageants, Lola's favorite show was premiering a new spin-off today; Prison Pageants: Latin America and following up immediately is a marathon of the newest season of regular Prison Pageants. The anticipation was enough to make Lola skip to the couch with one of her trusted stuffed animals under her arm. She slung the bear onto the couch and then checked the immediate area. Before she was to turn the TV on and start her perfect afternoon, she had to make sure everything was taken care of. She had compiled a checklist of essential elements for today, using crudely drawn images to illustrate them, as Lola liked to avoid having to read wherever she could.

''Let's see… is the tea good?'' Lola quietly pondered, she bent over the tray containing a teapot sitting on the coffee table, pouring herself a cup of tea and taking a small sip. She pouted her lips and put down judgement. ''Could use some sugar.'' She promptly dunked two cubes in the broth before focusing back on her list.

''With that taken care of, do I have company that doesn't bite, smell, strips himself or make any sort of disruptive noise or dissent?'' She cast a glance over to her stuffed animal and smiled when the teddy bear confirmed it wouldn't do anything that'd evoke her frustration by sitting motionless. ''Check!''

Now, her brow furrowed as her day of undisrupted penitentiary fashion shows all came down on the outcome of the last essential. ''Lastly, will there be anyone to disturb me?'' She asked extra loud as she waited for someone, anyone, of her siblings who may've stayed at home after all to respond to her question so Lola could promptly assert her dominance over the living room if needed. But the silence was the answer she hoped to get.

Lola jumped onto the couch and lounged, a rare occurrence in the Loud House, with feet up. The aged and well-used couch could've been a bit more comfortable to Lola's liking, but she brushed it off as only a minor issue on a otherwise great moment.

She aimed the remote at the TV, facing her plushie before she turned the TV on. ''Get ready Mr. Sprinkles, this will blow you away!'' When the TV screen came to life, they were treated to a bumper Lola meant to see.

''Coming up, which one of these convicts will be sentenced for the worst of crimes; crimes of fashion? Prison Pageants: Latin America! A new show coming up right after Norman's Motel Renovations; only on SIMS!''

Lola's eyes sparkled and her breathing had stopped out of sheer excitement. She had only seen barely eight seconds worth of images, but having seen prisoners designing clothes, dodging cafetaria food thrown by hecklers and fighting with each other and the guards, she was sure she saw one prisoner even brandish a shank, meant that she was in for the time of her six year-old life. She took a sip of her Russian Earl Grey; no one was going to take this away from her and the only thing that was left to do was waiting for Norman's Motel Renovations to end.

''Oh Lola?'' The baritone voice of the only other person at home called from the kitchen. Lola lowered her teacup and shot a sharp, sideways glare as her father appeared to her in the living room.

''What is it dad? I'm having my moment here!'' Lola said, trying her best to keep up a air of dignity.

''I see that, but can you _please_ go to Dahl's bakery and buy four focaccia breads for your daddy?'' He had his hands folded and bent slightly forward, hoping his submissive body language would sway Lola.

Lola gave a click and a groan. ''Can't you get it yourself? I have a show to enjoy.''

''But I forgot to buy one myself and I can't leave my kitchen or else I'll run short on time for tonight's feast!''

''Tough luck.'' Lola looked away and crossed her arms in harsh indifference to her father's woe.

Lynn Sr. pitched a groan of desperation. He knew that depending on Lola for an errand might cost him dearly but it was his only option. ''I'll attend five tea parties and bring a gift to each of them. Come on help your old man out!''

Lola groaned and rolled her head, she really didn't want to do this but his offer was too tempting to ignore; moments where her family attended her tea ceremony were scarce, especially when they were remotely willing to.

''Better make this quick.'' She grabbed her stuffed companion by the paw and carried it along with her.

Her father pulled his billfold and dug through the insides. ''Here's some money. Do you want me to write focaccia down?''

''Whatevs.'' Lola grumbled, whatever got her done the quickest. She got the bills and her father wrote a quick note before she went on her way. She shuffled out of the house as quick and as graceful as her heels allowed her to walk, making a beeline for the garage. There, she seated herself in her princess car, buckled both herself and Mr. Sprinkles and turned the ignition.

''Hold on tight Mr. Sprinkles; we _may _break some rules!'' Her warning wasn't an empty one; she _floored_ it onto Franklin Avenue and showed that she didn't mean to stop for anyone or anything until she reached the bakery, even if it meant running red lights and causing two cars to almost crash into each other.

She should've known. She may've been the only child at home today, but it was also her parents' sixteenth wedding anniversary. Instead of doing something together to celebrate, they instead came up with the idea to celebrate it with the family. And after Bobby coincidentally asked if he could stay for a meal that faithful day, their father quickly got the idea for a massive dinner for the family, friends as well as Lola's older siblings' boyfriends, or girlfriend in Luna's case and whatever girl Lincoln had set his sights on now, because as dad had put it 'the more the merrier'. Lola didn't really mind because she could have a good laugh with some of them… at their expense but it was going to be crowded for sure; her parents had already borrowed extra chairs and tables from the neighbors.

The idea of a big Italian feast has excited their father for days to a almost ridiculous degree. She once overheard Lori describe it as his 'wettest dream', though Lola didn't really understood how that related to the topic or what a 'wet dream' even was. Was their father a bedwetter or something? Lola stuck her tongue out in disgust over the image. It would explain why there was so much noise coming from her parents' bedroom during some nights.

* * *

After having possibly triggered at least two speed cameras and nearly rubbed paint with a van, she reached Dahl's bakery, a bakery that has served Royal Woods for 40 proud years. Whether you were looking for freshly baked bread, pastries or cakes for any occasion, if it was made with an oven, Dahl's could make it… or so Lola's father once declared. The only thing she cared about was getting this errand over with so she could get back home in time for the Prison Pageants marathon.

Lola saw herself as a upstanding citizen despite being in a hurry, so she made sure that her princess car was nicely parked between the lines and inserted a coin into the parking meter… casually notwithstanding that she had parked in a handicapped space, of which she was either unaware or apathetic to.

Lola sniffed the air and enjoyed the smell the warm scent of freshly baked bread that flowed through the street, it was the first thing that could make Lola cast a smile since being sent on this job. She entered the bakery and her smile faded as quickly as it came; it was pretty crowded with customers; nine at least. The very tightly packed mass of people completely occupied the customer area and the only person who didn't seem preoccupied with getting to the counter was an elderly man who was gently dozing off on the seats nearby the entrance.

It seemed like there was no way to get through and Lola had to wait for the crowd to thin out before it was her turn, which would clearly would take a while; too long likely. But this was just like the daily grind at home for Lola, she just needed to be thorough to get _through_ to everyone why she deserved to be helped next.

''Wait here. I'll be right back!'' Lola told Mr. Sprinkles as she placed the bear on the seat next to the elderly man. Lola then flapped her legs lightly to loosen them up and slipped into the mass of people, effortlessly crawling under people's legs and sliding right past them. It might've smudged her dress, but it was more important that she got helped as soon as possible. As she contorted herself to get through the smallest possible openings, she couldn't help but notice that a bell would occasionally sound and in the back of her head Lola wondered what that was for.

When she had squeezed herself through the final pair of legs, she dusted herself off and walked up to the counter where no one but Mrs. Dahl herself spotted her.

''Hey, you're one of Mr. Loud's girls are you?'' She asked gently, leaning down to get a better look of Lola.

''Yes.'' Lola curtly answered. Absolutely not interest in chitchat, Lola began to read the piece of paper her father gave her. ''Four fo- foc- fossa- fos-…'' Irritated by her attempts to read, she groaned loudly and instead of fumbling the words out she handed the lady the piece of paper. ''Four of this here, please.''

''Okay then sweetie, have you got number A-121, A-122 or A-123?''

Lola cocked a brow and looked as if the baker spoke a different language. ''What're you talking about?''

''We work here with a number ticket system sweetie.'' Mrs. Dahl began explaining before she pointed to a dispenser at the other side of the floor. ''You pull a number from there and when you see your number appear on the screen up here, it's your turn!''

Lola looked up and saw the screens hanging above her, just as one of them changed a number and the same bell she heard earlier chimed again urging one of the waiting customers to approach the counter. Lola crossed her arms and scowled mildly. ''What's that for stupid system?''

''It's the best way to help everyone in a timely and fair way.'' Mrs. Dahl folded her arms on the desk and her relaxed attitude, even in the hectic bakery, implied that Lola wasn't going to get through to her as to why she should be helped right away. Lola shot a glare before she turned to go to the dispenser.

Upon pulling the ticket and reading it, Lola emitted a quiet wheeze. The ticket she got read A-132, and with the bakers currently helping numbers A-121 to A-123, she was stuck here for a while. She sat down next to Mr. Sprinkles and crossed her arms with a big huff; she didn't care about timely and fair, what mattered was that she got those breads and back home as soon as possible.

''We'll be sitting here for a while, Mr. Sprinkles.'' Lola sighed bitterly and rested her head on her arm. She cast a glance over to the clock on the wall and grew even more frustrated; Prison Pageants: Latin America had just begun and if she wouldn't get home fast she risked missing most of it.

The customers were helped very slowly, and every time she heard the chime of the bell, she'd peak her head and smile in hopes of the screens reading A-132 only to be frustrated further. Even worse, for every customer served, a new one seemed to take their place. However, it wasn't just the racket and time pressure that soured Lola mood, but the boredom of waiting for her turn was slowly beginning to further irk her as well. She then looked over to a small table next to her containing childrens' books and a bead maze.

Immediately after, she glanced at her stuffed animal with an offended look, as if it had just insulted her. ''No Mr. Sprinkles, those are beneath me!'' She crossed her arms and avoided its lifeless beaded eyes. Then suddenly, the bear fell over towards the man still snoozing next to Lola. She connected the dots and pitched a quiet, shocked gasp.

With its fall, it had directed Lola's attention to the ticket in the elderly man's hand. Though he held it tightly, Lola could see that his ticket read A-126, which would soon be helped and Lola considered whether she was going to switch their tickets. At one hand, her mother didn't raise no thief and it was very unladylike. On the other hand, it was a emergency and this man looked like he wouldn't mind sleeping a little longer. Besides, would it be stealing if she gave the man her ticket back? She eyed Mr. Sprinkles, hoping that he could help with her conundrum.

''I can't do that, can I? Yes it's only swapping the tickets but…'' She asked the stuffed animal. Chewing lightly on the tip of her finger, her voice slowly trailing off into silence. Once she came to a decision, she checked if no one was watching and inched her head closer and whispered into the animal's big ear. ''I'm doing it.''

Lola sneaked her hand over to the man's ticket and gave it a light tug. She froze up when the man grumbled and shifted in his sleep, but slowly resumed her exchange when the man remained unmoved for a short while. Once she pulled the ticket out of his grasp, she swiftly switched the tickets and inched back onto her seat carefully. The difference between the tickets wasn't big, but it was like night and day for Lola, who smiled brightly, and when the bell chimed and she saw her newly acquired number on the screen, her smile could outshine the sun.

''Number A-126?'' Mrs. Dahl called, looking into the crowd.

''Number A-126, that's me!'' Lola said in a pleasant singsong voice as she waved her ticket in the air all the way until she reached the counter. Lola was to order her breads, but her smile faded when she noticed the glower Mrs. Dahl gave her.

''Do you think I was born yesterday, girlie? How come that you're up before Mr. Loman over there, who clearly came in before you?'' She asked, pointing at the elderly man.

Lola rubbed the back of her head and stared at the ground. ''Time travel?'' Her grin was as sheepish as her explanation was.

Mrs. Dahl crossed her arms and pursed her lips at Lola. ''I'm very disappointed in you, and your parents would probably be too! Pull a new ticket and wait patiently for your turn!'' She then turned her head towards the old man.

''Mr. Loman. Mr. Loman! DUKE!'' Mrs. Dahl shouted at the elderly man with increasing volume, managing to awaken him at the last attempt.

''Mhm?'' The man mumbled as he slowly returned to the land of the awake.

''You're up!''

Lola checked the bakery and realized that there were still as many customers waiting to be helped as when she first entered, maybe even a little more. Having to go to the back of the line, when Prison Pageants: Latin America was halfway through its premiere, made something snap once again in Lola's head. This treatment was unworthy of her. She could throw a fit that'd scare the inmates of her favorite show into complete submission for her perfect afternoon being ruined.

But Lola couldn't do that; it'd be undignified for a princess like her to let her emotions run their course in company. She forced a smile on her face, but no matter how hard she tried she could only muster a constant trembling and insincere grin and even through her smile she very quietly muttered harsh expletives at the baker that a girl her age shouldn't even know in the first place.

''C-can you excuse me please?''

Reports of a single, lenghty, screech, having been heard as far as Huntington Oaks, as well as shattered windows, storefronts and car alarms going off in the vicinity of Dahl's bakery puzzled everyone. Accounts and theories of what happened that moment varied wildly. People living and working on the block could only explain this as a small and brief but very powerful tornado ravaging the street. Many other residents throughout Royal Woods thought that the town's new bomb alarm was being tested, requesting that the volume be turned down as well. Two families fled town because they believed that they had heard a banshee of Celtic myth and had been marked for death by its eldritch cry. Lastly, one local theorist with a reputably tenuous grasp on reality was convinced that he had heard the Jersey Devil, a legendary cryptid said to roam approximately 600 miles away from Royal Woods.

Terrified shoppers at the scene however knew the truth; it was merely Lola Loud throwing a massive tantrum outside the bakery. She continuously screamed while she stomped on the pavement, repeatedly kicked dents into the door of her princess car and even lifted a newspaper stand over her head and tossed it away. The last of Lola's rage ebbed out of her with her eyes like fire, heavy heaving and fingers tightly clutched into fists. When she felt like she had vented enough, she used her mirror to make her look presentable again followed by a deep breath, which she held in for five seconds and walked back into the bakery with a half-lidded glare of annoyance, remaining oblivious of the terrified expressions bystanders near and far gave her.

Lola pulled a new ticket and sat next to her stuffed animal again. She curled up with her arms crossed. ''Here we go again, Mr. Sprinkles. If you hadn't talked me into swiping that ticket we would've be home by now already!'' She grumbled at the bear through her gritted teeth. She again took offense to what the bear allegedly said but decided to not face him this time. ''Don't give me that tone, Theodore Sprinkles! This was supposed to be my day; _my day_!''

A man approached the counter while Lola looked on. Perhaps if the people ahead of her in the queue

''Can I have a… what's it called again, a panino! No- no that's not it.'' The customer began to rub his chin and venture into the depths of his memory. Meanwhile, Lola began to tap her fingers on her arm and kept track of how much more seconds this man needed. ''It's an Italian bread but… ugh I feel so dumb now.''

''Take it easy. It'll pop up eventually!'' The glance Mrs. Dahl shot Lola convinced her that it was almost as if she was testing her. Her scowl intensified and she gritted her teeth over this taunt. She then began to pull on her hair in a flurry of anger, being unable to conceal her feelings anymore.

''Oh _come on_ you dam-'' Her loud curse was cut short when she realized the bustle in the bakery had fallen quiet and she had drawn everyone's attention. The frowns she got brought her humility as she curled up on her seat, the glower Mrs. Dahl gave her was particularly intimidating. The frowns slowly faded and everyone went back to what they were doing earlier.

''I got it now! Ciabatta bread!'' The man suddenly declared.

''Attaboy!'' Mrs. Dahl playfully called before she went into the back and got the breads the man needed.

The customer had finally remembered his order, but Lola's fury wasn't soothed. She'd have to save those swear words for her teacher; as she'd do more often.

The following thirty minutes were another strenuous exercise to Lola's already lacking patience; some other customers followed the example of the first one and seemed struck by a sudden flash of dimness. Every time someone didn't seem to know what they wanted _right away _Lola's teeth scraped with more fury that she may've risked grinding them to dust.

She did everything in her power to keep her from losing her head there again, but every time she checked the clock, hoping to find out that all of a sudden plenty of time had passed, she'd work herself up by reminding herself how long she's been at the bakery instead. Out of desperation to occupy herself she began to idly play with the bead maze and scroll through the books she so resolutely declared to be above of. She hoped that no one would bat an eye to someone her age reading books for toddlers; it was humiliating enough as it is.

Though there was light at the end of the tunnel for Lola; the bell chimed and one screen finally displayed the combination of digits that she longed to see.

Lola let her head hang back and pitched a tired moan. ''_Finally_!'' A little paranoid whether it was really her turn, she scurried to the counter, having been humbled and tired out by the whole ordeal.

''You're just like your father when he came here years ago, you know?'' Mrs. Dahl said, seeing a near exact copy of the young Lynn Loud's stroll in Lola.

''Can I have four of these…'' Lola handed the baker the list and the money. ''_please_?!'' She exclaimed in annoyance, or perhaps in desperation.

Mrs. Dahl was quick to help her and handed her a bag. ''Here you go sweetie! I had already put them in the oven!''

Lola's mouth curled slightly, _very_ slightly in a nigh-invisible smile; she had finally been granted release from this punishment. She wanted to snatch the bag out of the baker's hands and just put everything behind her, but pitched a quiet gasp when Mrs. Dahl didn't yet hand them to her.

Mrs. Dahl reached for something in a display and handed Lola a wafer along with the breads. ''And I also got a tasty cream puff for you because you waited like a good girl!''

Even though Lola accepted the treat, it clearly wasn't enough to make up for everything. ''Gee… thanks.''

''Tell your father I said hi!''

Lola shut her final words out. She took a bite from the cream puff, which Lola had to admit tasted well, and dragged Mr. Sprinkles over the floor with her to go home.

* * *

While glad at first when Lola climbed onto the porch of her home, going inside did she discover that the first of many of her sisters had come home as well; and more would soon follow. Luan and her boyfriend Benny sat on Lola's spot on the couch, conversing with their creepy dolls.

It was their father however that noticed her first, coming rushing out of the kitchen in a frenzy.

''Lola! There you are!''

''Here's your stupid bread.'' She tossed the shopping bag up in his arms.

''Thanks sweetie! You're a real princess!'' Cheesy as he may've sounded, her father really was grateful for Lola's help.

''Hey baby, wanna go out sometime?'' Luan spoke with a low voice through her ventriloquist doll Mr. Coconuts, letting him nudge Benny's marionette and wiggle his eyebrows at the same time.

''Oh I heard about this great restaurant for marionettes but it's always booked! But maybe I can, _pull some strings_!'' Benny replied through his marionette with a fake feminine voice of his own before they pitched their laughs. Luan's annoying cackles grated on Lola, but she was too exhausted to give them a piece of her mind anymore and instead admitted defeat and sat down next to them, the hem of her dress weakly shuffling after her. Fortunately, she had put her show in record and now she could _finally_ watch Prison Pageants; even if she had to take their bad jokes and laughter in stride.

''Hey Lola! What did the queen get when she got a splinter in her butt?'' Luan immediately asked her sister when she sat down next to her. Lola ignored her and turned the TV on instead. ''A royal pain!'' Luan began to pitch another chortle.

''Huh-Huh-Huh!'' Lola breathed violently through the gap in her teeth.

Meanwhile, Lynn Sr. had begun to feel sorry for Lola. He figured Lola deserved a break and turned his head to his other daughter present.

''Luan? Benny? Can you help me in the kitchen?'' Without any dissent, they got up and headed for where he wanted them. Lola gave her father a incredulous look with a twinkle in her eyes. When she could say for certain that he did that for her, she folded her hands next to her head in endearment and gave him the sweetest smile she could make. Maybe she could still make something of _her_ perfect day of Prison Pageants in relative peace… even if the tea had gone cold.

Lynn Sr. saw himself in Lola when she sauntered exactly the same way in frustration and disappointment to the couch. It evoked the childhood memory of his father sending him to get a few loafs of bread just when he was to watch the newest Mascu-man episode. Everything that could go wrong went wrong at the bakery and he threw a massive fit, needing Mrs. Dahl to put him in his place. He missed his show, but grew to see it as a valuable lesson that not everything could go your way and he hoped Lola would grow to learn from this as well.

Regardless, he couldn't help but chuckle inwardly; Mrs. Dahl helped raise his daughter the same way she raised him.

* * *

**_End_**

**For those who're curious, SIMS, or SIMS-TV, would stand for Specialized In Mindless, Sensationalist Television.**

**And another little tidbit of useless trivia, I originally came up with this idea for another fandom but it actually fitted The Loud House a lot better!**

**Posting that felt really nice! I'm going to sleep off my flu for a while and then I'll go see what I continue writing for next!**

**:D,**

**Q.W.**


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